The combined CT-sialogram.

Parotid sialograms were obtained in 18 patients. Immediately following sialography, computed tomography (CT) was performed. The results of the combined CT-sialography were compared to those of sialography alone, and are presented here. CT-sialograms allowed for confident preoperative differentiation of deep-lobe parotid masses (in nine pateints) and parapharyngeal masses (in five patients). In four patients, the lesions involved both the parotid gland and the adjacent soft tissue. There were no errors in diagnosing malignancies (seven malignant masses, 11 benign), and subtle masses, which may be easily missed on sialograms, were more clearly seen on the combined study. With the CT-sialograms, the extent of metastatic involvement of adjacent structures was also more easily determined.